Owners of Xiaomi smartphones and TVs often encounter intrusive ads that suddenly appear on top of the desktop or while using applications. It is not a system bug, but a built-in monetization mechanism that is by default active in the shell of MIUI and its successors. Annoying banners can overlap the interface, interfere with work and simply spoil the experience of using the device.
Fortunately, it allows you to manage these settings flexibly, so you don't have to be a programmer or get root rights to get rid of most of the ad blocks, but you just have to go through the settings menu consistently and disable a few key settings that are responsible for personalizing and getting recommendations from the system.
In this article, we will discuss all ways to eliminate pop-ups. We will touch on both standard methods through settings, and more advanced ones, such as disabling system services through ADB. Follow the instructions carefully to make using your gadget as comfortable and clean as possible.
The Nature of Advertising Windows in MIUI and HyperOS
Advertising in Xiaomi devices is the result of specialized system services. The main component responsible for collecting data about your actions and showing advertising offers is called MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is the process that generates most pop-ups in standard applications such as Explorer, Music or Security.
In addition to MSA, other services, such as mab or daemon, are responsible for various types of notifications, and can run in the background and activate when connecting to Wi-Fi or running certain applications, and understanding what process triggers a pop-up helps you choose the most effective method of dealing with it.
Why is Xiaomi embedding ads?
Importantly, with the release of the new HyperOS shell, the ad architecture has changed somewhat, but the principles have remained the same: the user experience suffers less if you complete a “clean-up” of privacy settings immediately after buying a device or updating your firmware.
MSA Disconnection: The Main Source of Advertising
The first and most important step is to disable the MSA service. Without this component, the system will no longer receive commands to display banner ads in the interface. The procedure requires care, as the system will try to "persuade" you to leave the service on.
To start, go to your device’s settings menu. Find a section that could be called “Passwords and Security” or simply “Security.” Inside this section, look for “Access to Personal Data (or “Authorization and Confidentiality”). In some firmware versions, the path may look like Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy → Special Permissions → Access to Personal Data.
☑️ Pre-switch check MSA
In the list that opens, find msa. The switch next to it should be active. Click on it to turn it off. The system will issue a warning that some functions may stop working correctly, and start a countdown (usually 10 seconds).
You have to wait until the timer ends and press the Disable button. However, this is rare the first time. The interface may be "glutting", the button may not be pressed, or the system will insist on continuing to work. In this case, just try again 2-3 times. Usually, the switch is successfully deactivated by 3-4 times.
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MSA is responsible for 90 percent of all advertising on the system, and disabling it is a top priority for clean interfaces.
Customization of personalization and recommendations
When you turn off the main ad service, you need to remove recommendations that may appear in folders, desktops, and menus, and these settings are scattered across different sections, so be careful when searching.
Go to Settings → Passwords & Security → Privacy → Advertising Services. This is the Personalized Ads switch. It needs to be turned off. This will prevent the system from using your data to target ads.
Then go back to the main settings menu and find the Desktop section. In some versions, it's inside "Additional Settings" or "Extended Settings." Find Receive recommendations and deaktivirujte it. This will remove the promotional offers that Xiaomi often pops up in the app folders.
It's also worth checking the settings of the Security app. Open it, click on the gear in the corner, and find "Get recommendations." Disabling this option will clear the antivirus and optimizer interface of the news feed and advertising.
Managing Notifications in Standard Applications
Even after disabling MSA and recommendations, some embedded apps may continue to show notifications or open tabs when they launch, most commonly for Music, Video, Explorer, and Downloads.
Consider the table of the main applications and methods of disabling advertising in them:
| Annex | The path to adjustment | What to turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Music. | Profile → Settings → Advanced settings | Displaying Advertising, Recommendations |
| Downloads. | Three points → Settings | Receive recommendations |
| Conductor | Menus. → Settings → About the programme | Press the icon 10 times, then turn off the recommendations |
| Topics | Profile → Settings | Personal recommendations, Displaying advertising |
The Music and Video app often require an additional step: click three dots in the corner, select Settings, then search for the Additional section. There will be a display ad toggler. Also, in the About section, you can click on the app logo several times to activate the hidden ad debugging menu.
⚠️ Note: In the Explorer app, the hidden menu is activated only after repeatedly (about 10 times) clicking the About icon or logo in the top corner.If the menu doesn't appear, try faster or slower.
Remember that when you update your firmware, your settings in your applications may reset, and checking these partitions periodically will help keep your system clean, and if you rarely use standard players, you can simply delete them or disable them through the application management menu.
Disabling Advertising in Mi Browser and System Notifications
The Mi Browser is one of the most active sources of pop-ups and news feeds, and if you're not using it as your primary browser, you'd better delete it or disable it immediately, and if you need it, you'll need to configure it properly.
Open your browser, click on the menu (three bars) and go to Settings → Privacy and Security. You should turn off all items related to personalization, secure browsing (which often just collects data) and recommendations.
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To completely get rid of advertising in the browser, install a third-party browser (Chrome, Firefox) with a built-in ad blocker and make it the default browser in Android settings.
System notifications may also contain advertising debris. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management. Go through the list of system applications (Cleaner, Security, Mi Store) and turn off notification categories labeled as Marketing or Recommendations.
Advanced method: Disconnection via ADB
For users who want to securely remove ad packages and are not afraid to work with a computer, there is a method of using ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to completely “cut” advertising components from the system, making them impossible to remove even after resetting (without flashing).
For this you will need a PC, USB-cable and installed drivers ADB. On the phone, you need to turn on the developer mode (7 times click on the build number in "About the phone") and activate Debugging by USB.
Connect your phone to your computer and enter the following commands in the command line to remove advertising packages:
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.msa.global
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.browser
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.android.fashiongallery
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.personalassistantThe first command removes the MSA service, the second - the browser, the third - "Wallpaper Carousel" (which can also show ads on the lock screen), the fourth - the tape of widgets to the left of the desktop.
⚠️ Attention: Use ADB Removal of critical system components (not specified in the manual) can cause unstable operation of the device or a “brick”. Only remove the intended purpose of which you are sure.